In this image taken from TV, Syria's president Bashar al-Assad speaks during an interview in Tehran, Iran, June 28, 2012. (AP Photo/IRIB TV via APTN)

(Newser)
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Bashar al-Assad says his government is receiving messages from the US-led coalition about airstrikes against ISIS taking place in his country. In a BBC interview today, the Syrian president admits that there hasn't been direct cooperation, and the messages are coming from third parties—including Iraq—not the US itself. "Sometimes they convey a message, a general message, but there's nothing tactical," Assad told BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen. "There is no dialogue. There's, let's say, information, but not dialogue." And although Assad and the US coalition share the same goal in ridding Syria of ISIS—and despite the US plan to train rebels to take down the militant Islamists in Syria—Assad said he has no inclination to join forces with the US anytime soon.

"We cannot be in an alliance with countries which support terrorism," he says. "They easily trample over international law ... so they don't talk to us, we don't talk to them." Assad also insisted Syria isn't using barrel bombs—deadly containers filled with shrapnel and explosives that are dropped from high-altitude aircraft—on civilian-populated sites, an allegation he dismissed as a "childish story." Syria's use of the tactic is "well-documented," notes the BBC, and decried by human rights groups and Syrian rebels, per Reuters. "[The army uses] bullets, missiles, and bombs," Assad told the BBC. "I haven't heard of … using barrels, or maybe, cooking pots. There are no indiscriminate weapons. You cannot have war without casualties." He added, however, that most civilians flee targeted regions once rebels take over. The White House didn't immediately comment, per USA Today.

"Syria isn't using barrel bombs—deadly containers filled with shrapnel and explosives that are dropped from high-altitude aircraft" So.. they're bombs?

AEK

Feb 10, 2015 9:51 PM CST

All this sounds like a very succinct way of telling Assad that he is quickly becoming irrelevant. I wonder that he can't see it. Maybe he needs an optometrist.

Ppointy

Feb 10, 2015 3:39 PM CST

What an idiotic story, naturally Assad is in favor of ISIA being bombed/Obliterated, after all it is ISIS that wants to take over the entire Middle East including Syria & Iran, before then starting to take over the rest of the World.